% I had the balls to do this. August 1st, 2018
% Leah Rowe
% 1 August 2018

The title says it all.

As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words.

UPDATE (as of 22 September 2018): I now have a related article, detailing my transition. See: [transition.md](transition.md)

Face says it all. Post-surgery I've experienced a level of relaxation,
personal satisfaction and emotional depth like never before. However, just
before being put to sleep under general anesthesia, I had at that point never
been so happy and relaxed. The nurses all smiled at me, held my hand and
assured me that everything would be OK. I was crying. Happy tears. This picture
is of when my old life ended. This picture shows the last moment of my former
life, at the exact precise moment it ended:\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0000.jpg)

I was unconscious when these photos were taken:\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0001.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0002.jpg)

Dr. Suporn playing with me:\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0003.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0004.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0005.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0006.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0007.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0008.jpg)

The rest, as they say, is history.\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0009.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0010.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0011.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0012.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0013.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0014.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0015.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0016.jpg)
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0017.jpg)

One week after surgery, the bandages were removed. 6.3 inches!\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0018.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0019.jpg)

Two weeks post-op. Healing nicely.\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0020.jpg) ![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0021.jpg)

And just like that. 27 days post-op. I went home the day after this was taken:\
![](https://av.vimuser.org/image/littleleah/0022.jpg)

On Suporn's advice, I resumed HRT (now just estradiol valerate. No more fucking
spironolactone, cyproterone acetate or decapeptyl! Just estradiol now!) after
arriving home, to reduce risk of DVT during the long flight.

I have never been so happy or relaxed in my life. Despite being bed ridden,
as of this time of writing (31 August 2018), I'm completely satisfied in every
way.

I'll be running marathons again by Christmas.

She has a name: Little Leah.
